Crate handling attachment for industrial trucks



2,826,323 CRATEHANDLING ATTACHMENT FOR INDUSTRIAL TRUCKS Filed sept. 2 1, 1954 .March l1, 1958 F. .1. scl-n-:NKELBIERGERi 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. l

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Marcl 11, 1958 F. .1. SCHENKELBERGER CRATE HANDLING mmm/[ENT FOR INDUSTRIA; TRUCKS .Filed sept. 21, 19:54A

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6 Sheets-Sheet 3 F. J. SCHENKELBERGER CRATE HANDLING ATTACHMENT FCR INDUSTRIAL TRUCKS FIGS |||IIML I I l l .lILll March 11, 1958 Tiled'sept. 21, 1954 INVENTCR. /n/vxJJm/wezafm y B Arme/vaya F. J. scr-nNKr-:LBERGER 2,826,323

March l1, 1958 CRATE HANDLING TTACHMENT FOR INDUSTRIAL TRUCKS AFiled sept. 21, 1954 6 Sheets-Sheetl 4 INVENTOR.

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CRATE HANDLING ATTACHMENT INDUSTRIAL rnpcxs Erank J. Schenkelherger, North Olmsted, Ohio, assi'gnor, by mesne assignment@,toOtisElevator Company New -Yorks `N-- Y, a corpnratign of New-leiser Anliegen Sepember'zi, 1954 Serial Nb.- 451,521 Claimsw (.Cl". 2me-730);`

The present invention relates to industrial trucks having an velevatableloadcarriage onl the forward end thereofen and, more particularly, to suchA a" truclr havin-g a' 1oad"" carriage especiallyl suitable for handling loads vhosedfin` crates and the like.

The principal object of the present invention is-"the provision of a` new and improved' industrial lift truck'liav ing an elevatable load carriage which is simple, positive,

Yandreliable in operation and which includes movable 1'oa`d engaging and lifting elements normallybiased to lan outwardly extending load engaging and lifting position with 'each `element being movable inwardly toward a retracted,

position by endwise abutting engagement with a loadll- *Another object of the present invention is the; provision of a new and improved industrial lift truck having a load carriage includingflifting elements or fingers for engaging the lower side of one or more abutmentsforc'l'eats positioned on the loadto be handled above the bottom ,there' of, 'a plurality of whichV are individually supported for movement from an outer load engaging andrlifti'ng posi- `tion toward a retracted position, the retractive movement of theA lifting element including a downwardy component.

, Another, object of the present invention isthe provision ofanewL and improved industrial lift truckhaving a load carriagel supportedv at one end thereof which includes a lifting element or finger for engaging one sideof an abutment or cleat carried by the Iload to be handled,lsuc h as a crate, or the like,`and parallel motion means for support` ingthe linger lin an outward loadv engaging and lifting position` and'per'miting the finger to be moved inwardly to a retracted position without tilting.

Another object ofthe present invention isthe provision h me une a-ty of Pfg; 2 showing a. anger grafting element lof' a newv and improved industrial lift truck'having' an' elevatable load carriage on one end thereof, the' load carriage including a plurality of elements individually supported along'a line transversely of the truck andv having an outward position whereinthey are adapted to engage the under side of a generally horizontal abutment or abutments carried by. the crate or other load to be handledv above the bottom thereof with the fingers being `supported by individual parallel motion means so as to be movable inwardly from the outward load ,engagingl position by endwise abutting engagement with the load of movement includingla downward component'the ele-A 2,826,323 Patented I Vlar, 11, A14958 Mice ments being yieldably urged to and liftingposition..` Y d Another object of the present inventionis the provision of a: new and improved attachment for use withan` Vindustrial truck having arr elevatable load carriagethereon, the' attachment 'comprising a framework adapted to be attached to the l'oad carriage and having a plurality of load lifting ,elementsi extending. outwardly therefrom adapted to engage the under side of a cleat or abutment their outer load' engaging positioned ongazloadto be handled ,above thehbottom thereofythe elements being-supported by individual parallel motionrneansfso as to be. movable toward a retracted A position alongv aline` 'oflmovement which includes a downwardcom'ponent.; n f "l The invention resides in certain constructions ndfpc'ombinations and* arrangementsfof parts 'and furtherobiects and.. advantages thereof. will: be apparentv toi those skilled in the'art to which the invention relates from Ethe following description of; the-preferred'l embodiment described reference vto the accompanying drawings forming part oilv this specification,in'which: A `Fig. 1 is Va-fragmentary viewof theifront end of an industrial truck havingn an elevatable vload carrier` thereon and' embodying the present invention; n l

Fig.j21is= a'` front elevational view of the truclroffuFig`` V1; Fig. 3 is, a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Fig; 2 showing a lifting element, or n'g'er Zin an outward load engaging position;

Fig-.,41is a Vsectional view taken approximately/along in anfinnerretractedv position;- Fig. 5 isa view taken,` approximately along Fig, 4L; Y h

Fig. 6 is; a view taken approximately along line V6--6 ofFig-.Z *l

Fig.y 7 isa View taken approximately` along 4line 7f7 ofFig.2;; v

rFig. 8-C^is1 a view taken approximately along line* 8`l-8 ofFig-2;- Y A Fig.` 9 `is `a fragmentary front elevational-'view with parts broken away showing thev construction of `the load carrier frame;1and'V 'T i Fig.r l-O is a perspectivel view of a crate adapted tobe handled by the presentyi'nventionf u While the present invention is Ysusceptible of various modifications and uses; it' is herein, 'for purposes of`illustration, embodied in an industrial lift truck having 'an 1irie` of ferring to the drawings,4 Fig. 1 shows: the front end of'an industrial lift truck 20i adapted to handleloads which may be housed in crates, cartons and the like'fand` having a frame` or chassis 21 supported on wheels 22', only one of which appears in the drawings. A loadfcarriage4 24 for supporting the load is carried onftheffrontend ofthe chassis by4 an elevator mast assemblyf 25 rcomprising spaced upright guides 26, 27 anda ram 28 as is best shown in Fig.n 2'. The load carriage 214 is provided with rollers 30V adapted to operate in guides 26, v27 and may be moved vertically with'respect to the guides 26, 27: by the ram 28 connected to the load carriage4 2'4' b'y chains*y 29;

The elevator mast`a`ssemb1y 25 ispivotally'connected to the chassis 21` by`brackets 322 connected to thefuprights 26, 27 and pivot pins 33 for securing thev brackets to the chassis 21. Only one of: thedbrackets' 32u and. pivot 'pins 33 appear in the drawings. The elevatorrnast assembly may bel tilted with respect to the vertical about the axis of the pins' 33 by means of a hydraulic cylinder 35 connected to the chassis 21 Aand having its piston rod 36 connected to the elevator mast assembly 25.

The rollers 30 ofthe load carriage 24 are mounted on a lsupporting framework` 37 which includes vertical Vside frame members 38, 39 and upper and lower horizontally v extending frame members 40, 41. The upper frame member 40 1s contained in a substantiallyphorizontal plane Vwhile the lower horizontal frame member 41 is contained Vin`a`7generally vertical plane. A slide'rod 43 Virsiemovably supported betweenlthe sideA frame members 38, 39,.

Vlllustrated embodiment on the supporting framework 37 of theY load carriage 24. ".Theload carrying frame 44 may be either an attachment or may be an 'integral partiof thc llcgad carriage 24, according to the particular needs of the `The load carrying "frame 44 showninf the drawings comprises arack-likeportion 45 including spacedvertical members 46 weldedto" spaced horizontal rods 47.

A plurality of loadengaging and lifting elements or fingers 0 are supported above the rack-like portion 45 and are biased outwardly: of the "load 'carrying frame 44 in a load engagingand supporting position. The fingers 50 are, supported from a horizontal plate 51 extending between the upper endsrof spaced vertical cylindrical members 53, 54 which telescope respectively into vertical tubes 55, 56 mounted on the opposite sides of the rack-like and lifting fingers 50 are supported from the under side of the plate 51. by individual parallel motion linkages l60 Vwh1ch1p erm1t the fingers 50 to be moved inwardly toward a retracted position along a line of movement having Za downward component. The fingers 50 While moving inwardly are maintained in a position parallel to their', load engaging and lifting position which is, in the illustrated embodiment, substantially horizontal.

t The parallel motion linkages 60 of the preferred and illustrated embodiment each includes two parallel links 61, 62 pivotally connected |at one end to'a block 63 secured to the under side of the plate 51 and at the other end to the finger 50 at spaced points therealong. The

.pivotal connections to the block. 63 of the parallel links 61, 62 include pivot pins 64 which are located above pivot pins 65 constituting the connection of the links 61, 62 to the finger 50. The links 61, 62 are contiguous when the fingers are in their outer load engaging and supporting Yposition and move apart as the lingers move inwardly. The links 61, 62 permit each finger to be moved outwardly of the load carrying frame 44 and inwardly of the frame while maintaining the finger 50 in a substanltially horizontal position. The finger 50, however, will when moving from an outer position to an inner position move along a line which will have adownward component. This is desirable for reasons pointed out hereinafter.

The fingers 50 are each yieldably urged to their outer load engaging and lifting position by means of a tension spring 66 secured between the parallel links 61, 62 of each of the parallel motion supports for the individual fingers. The spring 67 of each linkage will exert a force .which will tend to move the parallel links 61, 62 of the linkage to a position where their adjacent sides'67 are in engagement with each other. Asshown in Fig. 3 and as -mentioned above, the links are constructed and supported so that this occurs when the finger 50 is in its outer load engaging position. It can now be seen that if. an individualfingerV is moved toward an inner or retracted position i A load carrying frame or rack 44 is' supportedY in the `itsouter position.

In the illustrated embodiment each nger 50 comprises .a body member 68 to which the parallel links 61, 62 are connected. The vertical sides of the body member adjacent the outer end thereof are recessed as shown in Fig. 5 to receive vertical tooth plates 69 each having an upper horizontal serrated edge 70 providing a load engaging and gripping surface. The serrated edge 70 is adapted to engage the underside of an abutment or cleat carried by load and Vis shown as engaging the underside of an upper horizontal frame member of a crate C.

The load carrying frarne44, in the preferred and illustrated embodiment, is supported on the load carriage 24 so as to be movable transversely of the chassis 21 enabling the load to be side shifted.` To this end, the load carrying frame 44 has a horizontal frame member 71 extending between the vertical side members of the racklike portion 45 which carries spaced bearing blocks 72, 73 adapted to slide on the rod 43 of the supporting frame 37. If the load carrying-frame 44` islto be used as an attachment, thepframe 44 may beV mounted on the support frame 37 by removing the rod 43, positioning the load carrying frame 44 and inserting the rod 43 through openings 75 in the bearing blocks 72, 73. The load carrying frame 44 alsomounts spaced abutments 76 adjacent the lower part of the rack-like portion 45 for spacing the load carrying frame from the horizontal frame member 41 of the support framework 37. The abutments 76 may be mounted on a horizontal plate extending between the vertical side members of the rack-like portion 45.

A hydraulic cylinder 80Y having a piston rod 81 is provided for shifting the load carrying frame 44 transversely of the supporting frame 37. As is best shown in Fig. 6 the cylinder 80 is pivotally secured to the upper horizontal frame member 40 of the support framework 37 byy means of a pivot pin 82 and the piston rod 81 is pivotally secured at its outer end to a bracket 83 welded to the rack-like portion 45 of the load carrying frame 44. The introduction of fluid pressure into the hydraulic cylinder 8 0 causes'the load carrying frame 44 to shift sideways with respect to the chassis and the support frame 37 of the load carriage 21.

It may now be seen that the present invention provides a load carrier for anpindustrial truck which is particularly suitable for handling loads having horizontal abutments or cleats positioned above the bottom thereof, such as loads housed in boxes, cartons or crates. In operation the truck is moved into position to pick up a load having a generally horizontal abutment such as the crate C illustrated in Fig. l0 having a second crate-supported thereon. The load engaging and lifting elements or fingers 50 are, by the movement of the truck, placed under an abutment or cleat of the crate C, which may be a frame member of the crate, and functions to lift the crate when the load carriage 24 is elevated by the ram 28. It is not necessary that the abutment 90 be of continuous length so as to receive all the fingers 50. In the event that the crate has a frame or other member in the way of some of the fingers 50, the lingers will be moved inwardly of the load carrying frame 44 as the truck is moved into position to pick up the crate by endwise abutting engagement with the load. It will be noted that the inward movement will include a downward component and that the finger 50 will be maintained parallel during the movement in a position parallel to its outer load engaging position. The downward component of the movement of finger 50 is advantageous since boxes or crates housing loads to be handled often contain horizontal bracing members -located above the abutments or cleats forming recesses or spaces for receiving the lifting fingers 50. If the fingers have an upward component when they are much as jamming -due to the tilting of the finger is eliminated.

As is` shownin Fig. l0,A the load carrying 'frame may be used to lift four crates C with two of the crates being positioned on the two other crates and the lingers 50 engaging the two lower crates.

It may now be seen that the present invention accomplishes the objects set forth and provides a load carrying frame as part of or as an attachment for an industrial lift truck which facilitates the handing of loads having generally horizontal abutments thereon such as loads housed in crates and the like, the load carrying frame being provided with a plurality of individually operable load engaging or lifting elements which are biased1 into an outer load engaging position and which may be moved towards a retracted position by endwise abutment with the load.

While the preferred form of the invention has been described in considerable detail, it will be apparent that the invention is not limited to the constructions shown or the uses referred to, and it is my intention to cover hereby al1 adaptations, modifications, and changes which come within the practice of those skilled in the art to which the invention relates and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In an industrial truck, a chassis, a load carriage inclu-ding a frame extending transversely of said chassis at one end thereof, means connecting said load carriage to said chassis and supporting said load carriage for vertical movement and including spaceduprights for guiding the vertical movement of said carriage, means connected between said chassis and the first-mentioned means for tilting said uprights and said load carriage relative to the vertical, a load engaging and lifting element extending horizontally outwardly of said frame in an outer load engaging position, parallel motion means for movably supporting said element for retractive movement having a downward component from its outer load engaging position comprising parallel links, first pivot means connecting said links to said frame, second pivot means connecting said links to said element, and spring means for urging said element to its outer load engaging position.

2. A load handling attachment for the load carriage of an industrial truck comprising a load supporting frame,

a plurality of aligned lifting elements extending horizontally outwardly from said frame in positions for engaging a generally horizontal abutment on the load to be handled for lifting the load, parallel motion linkages connected between said elements and said frame for supporting said elements for individual retractive movement from their load engaging positions along lines of movement, each including a downward component, and spring means for urging said velements to their outer load engaging positions.

3. In an industrial truck, a load carriage comprising a frame, a plurality of spaced elements extendinghorizontally outwardly from said frame for engaging the underside of horizontal abutment means on the load to be handled, individual parallel motion linkages connected respectively between said elements and said frame and supporting said elem-ents for individual retractive movement, each of said linkages including parallel motion links and first pivot means connecting the links to the frame and second pivot means connecting the links to the elements, said rst pivot means being positioned above said second pivot means, and spring means for urging said elements to their outer load engaging positions.

4. An attachment for an industrial truck including a load carriage, said attachment comprising a frame adapted to be Asecured to the load carriage of the truck, a plurality of elements extending horizontally outwardly from said frame ina position for engaging the underside of horizontal abutment means on the load to lee-handled, individual linkages comprising Vparallel links for respectively supporting said elernents for retractive movement from their outer load engaging positions, first pivot means connecting said parallel links to said frame, second pivot means connecting said parallel links to said elements, the first pivot means being positioned above said second pivot means, land spring means urging said elements to their outward load engaging position.

5. An attachment for the load carriage of an industrial truck comprising a frame adapted to be secured to the load carriage, a plurality of horizontally spaced elements extending horizontally outwardly from said frame in a position for engaging the underside of horizontal abutment means on the load to be handled, parallel links supporting each of said elements for individual retractive movement from its outer load engaging position, first pivot means connecting said parallel links to said frame, and second pivot means below said iirst pivot means connecting said links to said elements, and individual spring means connected between the links of each pair for urging the element supported thereby to its outer load engaging position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS 1,138,337 Whalley May 4, 1915 1,289,395 Clutter Dec. 31, 1918 2,358,957 Barrett a Sept. 26, 1944 2,613,829 Gault Oct. 14, 1952 2,650,732 Hartquist Sept. 1, 1953 2,670,095 Blatz Feb. 23, 1954 2,706,658 Jewell Apr. 19, 1955 2,726,000 Quayle Dec. 6, 1955 

